Door fitting



E. c. MILES DOOR `FITTING Filed sept. 7, 1940 April 13,1943.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. C. MILES DOOR FITTING April 13, 1943.

Filed sept. 7, 1940 `2 sheets-shea; 2

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Patented Apr. 13, 1943,

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE DOOR FITTING Ewell C. Miles, Springdale, Pa., assigner to PittsburghPlate Glass Company, Allegheny County, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September "l, 1940,`Serial No. 355,718

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to hardware' mountings for doors and it has particular relation to mountings suitable for use in combination with monolithic doors comprising single massive panels of tempered glass or similar hard and brittle material.

One object of the invention is to provide a mounting of the foregoing type which is simple, rugged and secure and can be fastened to a door panel with a minimum of cutting or alteration of the panel to which it is applied. This and other objects of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification and the appended claims.

The technique of tempering or heat-treating massive sheets or panels of glass for purposes of increasing the strength thereof has recently been brought to a high degree of perfection. Panels so treated possess a strength approximating that of cast iron, but retain the transparency and beauty characteristic of glass. It has beenproposed to employ panels of such material for various purposes includingthat of providing closure elements or doors for the openings in buildings.

However, difficulty has been encounteredgin connection with such structures, because of the peculiarities of the material. Y l

Tempered glass panels, in yaddition to being characterized by great hardness, resilience and strength, are under internal strain, which upon rupture of the compression surface of a panel may result in Icomplete shattering of the entire panel into relatively small, diced, but harmless fragments. This renders the plates safe, but it necessitates that any cutting operations to be performed, upon the panels must be effected before they are tempered. Furthermore, care must be observed in the shaping and location of any openings or notches which are to be formed in the panel. For example, small holes of a diameter less than the thickness of the glass are not permissible because it is found practically impossible to temper a panel containing such holes. Holes and notches or corners in notches in the glass must also be carefully rounded and the radii of curvature must be comparatively large or the panels will be unstable and subject to shattering, even without preliminary rupture of the surface.

In accordance with the provisions of the p-resent invention the foregoing difficulty is overcome by provision of an edge element for a door panel providing a channel-like socket enclosing certain of the edge portions of the glass, the enclosed edges being suitably roughened or indented and the space between the-glass andthe edge element being filled with a packing of aluminum, solder, Roses metal or the like, to provide a key between the glass and the metal of the socket. In this construction the packing provides the sole lconnection holding the socket in place.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure l is a fragmentary elevational view showing the lower portion of the door embodying the principles of the invention, together with portions of the adjacent building wall.

Figure 2 is a plan view looking upwardly upon the hinge mounting disclosed in Figure l.

f Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially upon the line III--III of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a panel embodying the principles of the invention.

, Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing the upper portion of a doorpanel constructed in accordance with the provisions of the invention.

Figure 6 is a plan View of the hinge employed in the structure lshown in Figure 5.

Figure. 7 is a side elevational view of a door embodying a modified form of hinge structure. Figure 8 Vis a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7. .In the construction as disclosed in Figure 1, a building wall l0 of conventional design is formed with an opening Il, the lower margin of which is defined by a floor structure I2. A door I3 comprising a monolithic panel of tempered glass is disposed as a closure element in thisopening, and preferably is -free of supporting or reinforcing structure intermediate of the lower and upper ends thereof. Such panels maybe of a thickness of about 1A to about 11,72 inches.Y However, panels of somewhat greater or lesser thickness are permissible. Obviously `a panel of this type is relatively heavy.

A mounting for hinging the door in place in the opening includes a channel or shoe-like element I4 of bronze, aluminum, stainless steel or the like designed tofit over the lower edge of the-door and provides a suitable socket for the latter. It is to be observed that the shoe includes a web l5, (shown in Fig. 3) which may be cast or otherwise formed integrally with the side wall portions I6 of the member. If desired, the portions off-the sides belowthe web may be somewhat more widely spaced than'the portions above, in order to provide a more roomy housing for the reception of the hinge structure for the door panel. The end portions of the channel gripping the glass may be open as shown, or closed if so desired. The channel below the web I5, however, preferably is closed at its ends by walls Iia and IGZ).

The edge portion of the panel covered by the fitting or shoe I4 is roughened as shown at I'I in Figure 4. Such roughening may involve mere sand blasting or grinding of the Surface of the glass, in order to provide shallow striations or pits therein. This latter operation is permissible even upon tempered glass, provided the scarification does not cut completely through the surface skin characteristic of tempered glass. Y

Usually it is permissible to cut the surface even to a depth of approximately slr of an inch. If preferred the surface of the panel may also be provided during the initial stages of the tempering'operation with shallow indentations I8, say approximately g to 1/13 inch in diameter and of a depth of se or Ts of an inch. Such indentations are conveniently formed by suitable gripping devices having small teeth designed to slightly bite into the surface of the glass when the latter is heated to the softening temperature as a preliminary operation involved in tempering. The indentations may be `as numerous as may be desired. The indentations may be used in combination with or as alternatively of the roughening of the surface by sand blasting or grinding.

When the edge of the panel Ysuitably roughened is inserted in the channel of the end finger the space between the glass andthe metal of the channel is lled with metal I9, such Vas lead, Roses metal, aluminum or the like, which is ilowed, molten or cast into the space about Vthe panel and into the striations or other indentations in the 'surface of the glass, in order to provide a secure bond with the surface of the latter. It is also apparent that the inner surface of the channel vitself may be roughened as indicated Yat 2G, to provide an effective bond with the fusible metal.

The glass may be either cold 'or hot at the time of filling of the 'channel with molten metal. If it is sufficiently hot, the glass will adhere to metal 'to provide a solder-like bond. The portion to be enclosed by the Vchannel may, forexample, be dipped while heated preliminarily for tempering, in molten aluminum or `dusted with aluminum powder, or sprayed withmolten aluminum, or it may be given a metallic glaze of silver, gold, or 'the like. VThe panel may be then tempered in the usual manner. The metallic r'film will readily bond to the molten lead or"-like'metal with which the channel is filled. It is, also, possible to apply solder'directlyto the glass after it has been tempered to effect a union. The glass surface may, if preferred, be given a mirror finish of gold, silver, lead sulfide, aluminum-or the like by common mirroring methods. The molten metal lwill ythen adhere Ato the mirror finish.

The 'bond between the metal and the glass is not essential where the surfaces have been roughened or indented, becausethe molten metal ows into the depressions, Ato provide a ypositive key between the parts. If Roses metal is employed to ll the channel, it -expands upon cooling,thus assuring that the glass will be very firmly gripped, and obviating any likelihood ofseparation of the panel from -its socket. Y

Of course the channel elements may havetheir inner faces tinned or otherwise coated in such manner that the molten metal, when flowed into it, will become firmly bonded to the metallic surfaces. If the surface of the metal is sufficiently indented, the resultant key between the surface of the channel and the filling will be sufcient without recourse to a solder bond.

A construction providing a pintle socket for the door includes a plate 2B lwhich may be secured to the web I5 by means of bolts or screws 2'I. The rear extremity 28 of a hinge arm 29 engages the lower face of the plate and is pivotally secured thereto by a pintle 30 extending upwardly into the plate. The extremity is, also, provided with a suitable socket 3| for the reception 0f the upper extremity of a pintle 32 having a shoulder 33 upon which portion 28 rests. The pintles 32 may be an element of suitable closure mechanism (not shown) disposed in or beneath floor I2.

The forward extremity 34 of the arm is provided With a projecting lug 3.6, which, as shown in Fig-ure 2, is engaged by set screws 3l, threaded through the sides I6 of the end member .I4. It will be apparent that by proper adjustment of the screws, it is possible slightly to rotate the arm about pivot 3l) in housing I4 in such manner as to permit of adjustment of the door about the axis of rotation, thus insuring that it will come to rest in proper place in its opening.

The swinging or freed end of the .channel below the web 53 is closed by a member 55 of L-shape, having one leg 5B secured to the web by .screw 51.

A hinge mounting for the upper extremity of the door includes a socket-like structure 50 quite similar in `design to the structure I4 already descri-bed an-d including side walls 5I and an end wall `5.2 integral with or rigidly secured to the side walls. lA web 53, corresponding to the web I5 already described, .interconnects the side walls `intermediate .of their upper and lower edges and divides the-element 50 into upper and lower cornpartments, the latter of which is :designed to receive the upper edigeof the panel I3.

The pintle bearing for the upper extremity of the panel includes a detachable socket element 6I having a depression 62 providing a bearing for a conventional .door .pintle 53 which may project downwardly from thelintel portion '64 vof the ,door opening. Element 6.I includes a bracket 66 which rests upon vthe 'upperface of the web 5,3 and has `a slot 6.1 formed :therein for the .reception of a screw 58, Asecuring it in ,position upon the web. Socket `element BI is further secured in position -by :means of an .adjustment screw .69, .the rear extremity TI `of which projects into asocket in the end wall 52. .The .opposite extremity -of the screw'is v.received in asocket in .the rear face of the `'element 16|, 'that may ;be adjusted by means vof :nut .13 threaded .thereupon in such manner was toadmitof iadjustingrthe position of the socket lement, 'in vorder vto alignit with the lower pintle The .form of .the invention shown 4in Figures 7 Vand 8 comprises :a .door `panel 8D disposed in an opening'sl 1in .a.vvall:82. The hinged lconstruction includes a :channel-like :element 83 of brass.

bronze, aluminum, stainless steel Vor the .like havving sidewalls 84 and `ili and anintermediate connecting walls. vThis element is disposed to enclose 'the rear, vertical 4 or pivotal `edge of the ldoor panel. In order to provide a'bondbetween the .walls-'of the channel and the yglass the space :about the:enclosed'edge .of .thepanel is lled with lmetal'88, such as solder, -Roses metal or aluminum preferably flowed into the channel and about the edge of the glass while in molten state. The bond between the sides of the glass and/or the sides of the channel 83 and the metal 88 may be enhanced by the roughening or indentation of the surfaces in the manner described in connection with the form of the invention disclosed in Figures 1-6 inclusive or by effecting a solder-like bond between the surfaces.

A suitable hinge may be secured to the channel element 83 and for purposes of illustration is shown as being of the piano-lid type and including leaves 9| and 92, which are hinged together as indicated at 93 in conventional manner. Leaf 9| is secured to the web or intermediate portion 8l of the channel 83 while the leaf 92 is secured to a suitable molding 94 of metal, wood or the like secured by devices such as screws 96, to the inner face of jamb 91 of the opening 8|. It is, of course, to be understood that the hinge described is primarily given by way of illustration. Various other forms and modifications of hinges may be employed in lieu thereof.

The invention is particularly well adapted for use with doors of tempered glass, but under some conditions -doors of annealed glass or annealed glass laminated in the same manner as safetlr glass may be employed with lthe hinge fittings herein disclosed.

What I claim is: v

1. In combination with a door panel comprising a single massive panel of tempered glass, which panel has the face adjacent to an edge thereof formed with shallow indentations not extending below the surface skin characteristic of tempered glass, -a shoe of relatively hard, strong metal fitting over said edge and having side walls covering the indentations in the glass, the space between the sides of the shoe and the glass being filled with relatively soft fusible metal flowed therein while molten and having the capacity of expansion as it solidies.

2. A door panel comprising a single massive panel of tempered glass, which panel has the face adjacent to an edge thereof enclosed in a channel-like element providing a hinge connection for the panel, the space between the channel and the panel being filled with metal having a solderlike bond to the glass.

3. A door panel of tempered glass having a channel element fitting over an edge thereof and bonded thereto by a solder filling between the channel and the glass and proving the sole means of holding the glass and the channel in assembled relation. l

4. A construction as defined in claim 3 in which there are two spaced channels gripping opposite ends of the panel and having pintle connections for hingedly mounting the panel.

5. In combination with a door panel comprising a single massive panel of glass having exposed edges, said panel having shallow indentations formed in a face thereof adjacent to an edge, a shoe fitting over the edge and having side walls covering the indentations in the glass, the space between the sides of the shoe and the glass being filled with metal filling the indentations and pro* viding a key between the glass and the shoe.

6. A door panel of glass having a channel element fitting over an edge thereof and bonded thereto by a solder filling between and intimately contacting with the contiguous surfaces of the channel and the glass and providing the sole means of holding the glass and channel in assembled relation, said solder being of a metal which expands as it cools, the surfaces of the glass and the metal further being indented whereby t0 provide a positive key between the solder and the surfaces with which it contacts.

7. In combination with a door panel comprising a single massive panel of glass, a channellike element providing a hinge connection for the door and enclosing an edge of the panel and overlapping the contiguous face portions of the panel, the space between the panel and the channel being filled with metal having a solder-like bond to the glass, and holding the panel in place in the channel.

8. In combination with a door panel comprising a single massive panel of tempered glass, a channel-like element providing a hin-ge connection for the door and enclosing a vertical edge of the panel and having sides overlapping the contiguous face portions of the panel, the space between the channel and the panel being filled with metal having a solder-like bond to the glass, and holding the panel in place in the channel.

EWELL C. MILES. 

